Latter-day Saints – For Mormon Faith and Research

Bible-based Christians reject the Mormon belief in a premortal life because it is not found in traditional Christian teachings and contradicts key doctrines of the Bible. Here's a breakdown of why:

1. Biblical Silence on Premortal Existence: The Bible does not explicitly teach that human souls existed before birth. According to traditional Christian doctrine, God creates each soul at the time of conception or birth (this view is known as "creationalism"). Passages like Genesis 2:7, which describes God breathing life into Adam, emphasize the creation of human life at a specific point on earth, rather than preexistence. 1 Corinthians 15:46 clarified mankind's origin on earth when it stated: "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." Jesus likewise rejected the idea that we existed prior to coming to earth when He provided a clear distinction between His premortal life (from above) and our origination occurring on earth (from below) at John 8:23: "Ye are from beneath; I am from above; ye are of this world; I am not of this world."
2. Hebrews 9:27: This verse states, "It is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment." Bible-based Christians believe that life begins at conception and the next significant event for the soul is physical death, followed by judgment. Premortal existence isn't mentioned or suggested in this framework.
3. Different Views on God's Nature and Human Relationship: Mormons believe in a pre-earth life where human spirits lived with God as His literal children. Traditional Christianity, however, teaches that humans become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ (John 1:12) and adoption into God's family (Romans 8:15), rather than through premortal existence.
4. Lack of Biblical Support for Mormon Doctrine: The concept of a premortal life is taught in LDS scripture (such as in the Book of Abraham and Doctrine and Covenants), but not in the Bible. Bible-based Christians rely solely on the Bible as the inspired Word of God (sola scriptura) and do not accept LDS scriptures as authoritative.

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ALL LDS CHURCH QUOTES BELOW ARE FROM: Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham - July 8, 2014 - https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/translation-and-historicity-of-the-book-of-abraham?lang=eng

1. Does the LDS Church admit that Abraham had nothing to do with the Book of Abraham papyrus?

“Scholars have identified the papyrus fragments as parts of standard funerary texts that were deposited with mummified bodies. These fragments date to between the third century B.C.E. and the first century C.E., long after Abraham lived.”